title: Intestinal dysmotility syndromes in the elderly: measurement of orocecal transit time.
abstract: Altered bowel habits are common symptoms in the elderly, yet the pathophysiology of age-related gastrointestinal dysmotility syndromes is poorly understood. The present study was designed to correlate changes in orocecal transit time (TT) in healthy elderly subjects with or without gastrointestinal dysmotility complaints. Twenty-two geriatric facility resident volunteers, mean age 82 yr (range 65-94 yr) participated, of whom 16 had gastrointestinal dysmotility symptoms. Orocecal TT in the elderly subjects did not differ from that in younger adult controls (100 +/- 11 min vs 93 +/- 20 min). However, orocecal TT was longer in geriatric females (112 +/- 14 min) than in males (70 +/- 6 min, p less than 0.01). We conclude that age alone does not prolong orocecal TT, except when dysmotility symptoms have been present for a prolonged period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Piccione
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Culpepper-Morgan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Bryan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferdinands
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kreek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001944:Breath Tests; D002432:Cecum / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006859:Hydrogen